Method for catalytic conversion



Dec. 3, 1946. L. s. KASSEL l 2,411,996

MEIIHOD FOR CATALYTIC CONVERSION Filed April I12, 1944 by j@ j.

Patented Dec. 3, 1946 'Y METH'OD FOR CATALYTIC CGNVERSION Louis S. Kassel, Riverside. Ill.,v assignor toUniversal Oil Products Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application .4pm 12, 1944, serai No. 530,643 2 claims. (cl. 19e- 52) This invention relates to a method for conducting catalytic conversions and more particularly to a method for converting hydrocarbons by contact with suitable conversion catalysts.

` 2 generated catalyst from the lower end oi said regeneration zone, introducing oxygen containing gas under pressure to said regeneration zone and contacting it therein with a moving bed oil cata- The invention is concerned with a method of 5 lyst to remove the contamination therefrom by conducting conversion reactions which may advcombustion andv employing the resultant flue gas vantageously be employed in various processes with no increase in pressure to transfer the reior the conversion of hydrocarbons. Among the. generated catalyst from a point below said reseveral processes to which the invention may be generation zone to a point above said conversion applied are catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon oil, zone, and to transfer the contaminated catalyst catalytic reforming of gasoline boiling range ma:v from apoint below said conversion zone to a terials, catalytic aromatization of hydrocarbons, point above said regeneration zone. dehydrogenation of dehydrogenatable hydrocar- In a more limited embodiment the transfer o bons,v and similar reactions for the conversion of catalyst by the Aflue gas from a point below the hydrocarbons. regeneration zone to a point above the conversion The invention although adaptable for use in zone and from a point below theconversion zone the above and similar reactions is especially suitto a point above the regeneration zone is con'- able for use in the process for catalytically ducted in substantially straight lines. cracking higher boiling hydrocarbon oils to form Suitable catalysts andlconditions for the varimotor fuels of high antiknock rating. ous conversion reactions which come within the One object of the present invention is to proscope of the invention are well-known in the art vide a method of conducting catalytic conversions and .will not be described in detail herein. Howin which catalyst, in the form of solid particles is ever, to more clearly illustrate the advantages passed successively through the conversion zone which may be obtained from the use of the presand regeneration zone in continuously moving L5 ent invention the accompanying diagrammatic beds. drawing will be explained in connection with a Another object of the invention is to provide a catalytic cracking process. I catalytic conversion system, employing a moving Referring to the drawing, numeral I denotes catalyst bed in which the attrition of the catalyst the reactor to which vaporous hydrocarbons are and the erosion of processing equipment is held 3" charged through conduit 2 and valve 3. Reactor to a minimum. I when employed in a process for the cracking of Another object of the invention is to provide a heavy Mid-Continent gas oil will be operated at a method of conducting catalytic conversions by temperatures Within the range 0f about `750 t0 means of which equipment of a given size may be 1050" F. and at pressures of from about atmosmade to process a large Yquantity of charging pheric to slightly superatmospheric.' The catalyst material without sacrificing product yields or employed may be formed of granular particles quality. and may be composed of various natural occur- Another object of the invention is to provide a ring clays or synthetic silica-alumina composites catalytic conversion system in which the heat of made, for example, by the process described in regeneration supplies a substantial portion ofthe 40 U. S. Patent No. 2,229,353- BeSides Silica-aluheat of reaction. mina, the catalyst may also include other oxides,

Another object of the invention is to provide for example, oxides of magnesium, zirconium,fand a system for the conversion of hydrocarbons titanium. Very excellent results yhave been obwherein the utility requirements are held to a tained employing a spherical shaped catalyst minimum. 45 made' by precipitating spheres of hydrated silica In one embodiment the invention concerns a and impregnatlng them with alumina by soakmethod of converting hydrocarbons which coming them successively in an aqueous solution of prises contacting said hydrocarbons in a zone aluminum sulfate and in an alkaline precipitant. maintained at conversion conditions with a mov.. The spheres are then `washed, aged and dried. ing bed oi catalyst, continuously introducing cat 50 Although the preferred range of catalyst paralyst to the upper end of said zone and continuticle size is between about 11s to g inch average ously removing contaminated catalyst from vthe diameter the invention includes within its scope lower end of said zone. continuously introducing the use of larger and smaller size catalyst parsaid contaminated catalyst to the upper end of ticles. The main considerations in-the selection a regeneration zone, continuously removing reofsize are the allowable pressure drop through or adjustable orifice I5.

- 3 the catalyst beds in the various contacting vessels and the ability of the carrying gases -to transport the catalyst between the dierent vessels.

The reaction products from reactor I are conducted through conduit 4 and valve 5 to suitable separating and recovery equipment not shown. Catalyst is introduced to reactor I by means of conduit G and withdrawn therefrom byconduit 1. Within the lower portion'of the reactor is placed a cone-shaped member 8 which ing the cycle. `Chamber 30 like chamber I1 may may consist oi" a perforated plate or screen which serves as a distribution means for the'incoming reactant stream. Inlet condut 8 for supplying the regenerated catalyst to the reactor extends some distance below the upper head of the reactor to provide a separation space for the reaction products leaving the' catalyst bed.

Below reactor I and connected thereto by conduit 1 is stripper .9 through which the catalyst particles are passed in contact with a suitable stripping iluid, such as steam, ilue gases, or other inert material to remove vaporizable contaminating materialsfrom the catalyst to prevent their loss by combustion in the regeneration zone. Stripper 9 is similar in constructionto reactor I and is supplied with a stripping iluid introduced by means of conduit I and valve Il. 'Ihe stripping fluid plus any materials ,removed from the catalyst'is withdrawn through conduit. I2 and valve I3 and directed to suitable recovery equipment not shown. The stripped catalyst is withdrawn from the bottom of stripper! by means of conduit I4 controlled by valve The catalyst passing through valve I5 is commingled in conduit I8 with a carrying gas produced as will hereinafter be described, and passes therewith into disengaging chamber I1. The catalyst particlesare separated from the carrying gas in chamber I1, the gas leaving the system through conduit I8 and the catalyst particles falling to the bottom or hopper section I9 of the disengaging chamber.

A baille plate 20 is provided in disengaging chamber I1 to prevent catalyst particles from entering conduit I8 and being removed thereby from the system. 'I'he contaminated catalyst flows from chamber I1 by means of conduit 2| into regenerator22. Regenerator 22 is similar in construction to the reactor and stripper vessels being provided with a distribution member 23 and a separation space 24 for emuent gases. Air is supplied to the regenerator by means of conduit 25 controlled by valve 28.

The temperature maintainedin regenerator 22 will be higher than the temperature maintained in reactor I. The magnitude of this difference be provided with a baille 32 which functions to substantially prevent catalyst parties from being withdrawn from the chamber by means of conduit 35.

The pressure in reactor I is normally higher than in disengaging chamber 30. In order to prevent reaction products from iiowing up through conduit 8 into chamber 30 and ultimately being lost with the spent regenerating gas, a

stream of splitting iluid is provided. This stream.

any inert gas or vapor, such as nitrogen, helium or steam. As a practical matter, steam is preferred on economic grounds.

The following discussion of pressure gradientsis supplied in order to clarify the method of op eration. The air which enters the process by conduit 25 and ultimately leaves as regenerating gas by conduit I8 can take any one 0f three paths through the plant. It can flow up through regenerator 22 and conduit 2'I into chamber I1 and thence 'out' through line I8. It can ilow through the lower conical section of regenerator 22 and the distribution section 23 into conduit 28 and thence by, valve 29, conduit 39, chamber 30, conduits 35, 4I and I8 and chamber I'I to line I8. Or it can take the desired path through regenerator 22, conduit 21, conduits 31 and 39, chamber 30,

. great enough height and small enough diameter so that the frictional pressure drop of gas flow` will vary with the charging stock to be convertv ed and the particular product which may bedesirable. In general, however, this differential will vary from about 50 to 150 F. The air supplied to regenerator 22 removesthe contamination from the catalyst by combustion and the resultant flue gas is withdrawn from the regenerator by means of conduit 21 and maybe diverted to conduits I 8 and 39 respectively by means of valve 40 and conduit 31 and valve 38. The regenerated catalyst is removed from the regenerator by means .of conduit 28 controlled by valve or adjustable orifice 29.l The catalyst passing through valve 29 is commingled with ilue Vgas passing through' conduit 39 and is transportvides an effective ilow resistance.

of air which takes the second undesired path is through the catalyst mass in this conduit pro- 'I'he quantity likewise made small by provision of suilicient resistance infconduit 28. The' major part 0f the air stream 4is therefore constrained to take the desired path. y

A portion of the stripping fluid will likewise flow down through conduit I4, and here again this undesirable tlow is minimized by proper design of conduit I4.

Any of these undesired ows could be completely prevented by the use of a splitting stream such as is shown in conduit 8. In most cases, however,- this would not be particularly advantageous.

From the drawingit can readily be -'seen that f the only conduits carryin'ghigh velocity catalyst particles conduct them in a' substantially straight line flow which, of course, will limit erosion of the line and attrition of the catalyst particles to a minimum. t

, In order to further illustrate the utility of the process the following example is included in this specification: A 31.2 API heavy Mid-Continent gas oil is j vaporized and introduced to reactor I which is maintained at an average temperature of 975 F.

The catalyst used is a spherical shaped silica-- alumina composite having a particle size oi' about 11g inch diameter. `The oil is charged at a rate equivalent to a weight hourly space velocity of 8.5 (8.5 pounds of oil per pound of catalyst in the reaction zone) and the catalyst is circulated at a catalyst to oil weight ratio of 3.2 (3.2 pounds of catalyst entering the reaction zone to each pound of'oil). The resultant product contains a motor fuel having a clear ASTM octane number by the motor method of 82.5. The yield of large quantities of charging material may be conf verted to a highly desirable product in relatively small and inexpensive equipment.

zone maintained at combustion temperature to burn contaminants from the catalyst particles, supplying regenerated catalyst particles by gravity to the upper portion of the reaction zone from a separating zone disposed lat a higher elevation than the reaction and regenerating zones, supplying contaminated catalyst particles by gravity Also by employing the present invention veryv ecient and economical transfer of catalyst be tween the various processing' zones is accomplished, the incoming regenerating air under moderate pressure supplying all the necessary lifting power. l I claim as my invention:

1. A conversion process which comprises contacting hydrocarbons with subdivided solid cata= viyst in a reaction zone maintained under conversion conditions, simultaneously passing an' oxygen-containing gas through a mass oi' contaminated catalyst particles in a regenerating to the upper portion of the regenerating zone from a second separating zone disposed at a higher elevation than the reaction and regenerating zones, removing contaminated catalyst from the lower portion of the reaction zone, removing regenerated catalyst from the lower portion of the regenerating zone, transporting the withdrawn regenerated catalyst particles upwardly to the vfirst-'named separating zone in suspension in combustion gases formed in the regenerating zone, separating the regenerated particles from the combustion gases in said irstu named separating zone, suspending in at least `a portion of the thus separated combustion gases the contaminated catalyst removed from the lower portion, of' the reaction zone, passing the resultant suspension upwardly into saidv second separating zone and therein separating the contaminated catalyst from the combustion gases.

2. The process as dened in claim 1 further characterized in that the regenerating zone is maintained under a pressure such that the pressure of the combustion gases'kiischarging therefrom is sumcient to overcome the flow resistance in said transportation of the catalyst, the latter being transported as aforesaid under the pressure of the regenerating zone.

. LOUIS S. KASSEL. 

